This invention relates to a breakerless ignition distributor and system as may be used with internal combustion engines for automotive vehicles, for example.
The available space in an automotive engine compartment is very limited and the desire to reduce weight is high. These factors dictate that distributors be of compact size and employ lightweight components which require a minimum of adjustments and alignment while being able to withstand the shock and vibration in the engine compartment.
The subject invention advances the art of ignition distributors which work with electronic ignition systems, which, in most cases, are now computerized in motor vehicles, along with Hall Effect switches or electrical pick-ups and associated electrical and solid state electronic circuitry. Such a distributor illustrative of the prior art is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,726 to Helmer which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The ignition distributor employs features of an insertless distributor cap further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,895 to Lennis and Handy, which is also hereby incorporated by reference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,913 to Guiot, attention is invited to FIG. 2A which illustrates metal disk 19 with apertures 20 which interact with oscillating coil 7. Attention is also invited to FIG. 4A showing metal disk 21 and aperture 22 interacting with coil 9.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,168 to Meyer et al. illustrates an ignition distributor device for use with vehicle engine ignition systems equipped with electronically advanced spark timing angle controllers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,292 to House et al. illustrates an annular insulating rib 41 on a rotatable member 40.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,849 to Sae illustrates a variable ignition distributor which is designed to furnish a high voltage spark to one spark plug and a low voltage spark to another spark plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,142 to Bridges et al. discloses an ignition distributor and a shaft coupler.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,385 to Burk et al. illustrates another distributor for use with an internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,796 to Boyer illustrates still another example of ignition distributors. Attention is invited to FIG. 6 and more specifically to metallic plate member 50 with radially extending slots 54 and 56.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,362 to Arakawa illustrates a signal rotor 111 with a cylinder discrimination signal producing magnet 116. This is best shown in FIG. 10A. Also illustrated is a slit disk type signal rotor 121 with a cylinder discrimination signal producing slit 126. This is best illustrated in FIG. 11A.
It is an object of the subject invention to minimize the size of the distributor.
It is a further object of the invention to reduce the size of the distributor by providing a window-in-vane on an interrupter assembly which reduces the number of vanes needed by one by eliminating a second interrupter assembly which carries the now eliminated vane.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a switching technique to work with the subject window-in-vane and Hall Effect sensors in the ignition distributor.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a distributor cap which works in communication with a rotor to provide a labyrinth structure to minimize the effects of arcing and to provide ribs to interfere with and lengthen the wet surface path along the inside of the distributor cap.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a distributor cap and rotor which are designed to work together to create a pumping action when the rotor is in motion which urges the charged and ionized atmosphere inside the distributor cap upward and out of the cap through a vent tower.
It is still another object of the subject invention to provide an improved spark shield which helps to isolate the spark occurring between the rotor electrode and the distributor cap electrodes from the Hall Effect sensors which are concurrently in communication with the interrupter assembly.
Another object is to provide a switch plate assembly to carry two pairs of Hall Effect generators and sensors.
This application is related to six commonly assigned U.S. applications filed on the same date; namely, application Ser. No. 782,757, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,077; application Ser. No. 782,758, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,370; application Ser. No. 782,759, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,371; application Ser. No. 782,760; application Ser. No. 782,761, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,372 and application Ser. No. 782,767, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,603.